Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices are used to modulate the display of color and light in digital projectors and other optical devices. Optical MEMS devices are often formed on a silicon substrate using semiconductor processing techniques and then sealed under a glass cover that allows light to reach the MEMS device. In one type of optical MEMS package, a TEOS bonding ring formed on the bottom of the glass cover bonds the cover to the MEMS device substrate to affix the cover to the underlying structure. In another type of optical MEMS package, a TEOS layer on the bottom of the glass cover bonds to a TEOS membrane formed over the MEMS device to affix the cover to the underlying structure. Some tools used in processing glass cover wafers cannot properly sense the wafers because they are transparent. Consequently, glass cover wafers must be made opaque for some processing steps. The TEOS layer used to form the bonding ring or bonding layer cannot be used to opaque the wafer because it is also transparent to these same processing tools. A thin metal layer formed on one or both sides of the wafer, therefore, is commonly used to make the wafer opaque. This metal layer, however, has no other functionality to the MEMS device package and is removed from the glass cover wafer before bonding to the MEMS structure.